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1 John 4:16 Lyrics

In the holding tank I built for myself, it's feeding time
And I start to feel afraid 'cause I'm the last one left in line
The endless string of summer storms that led me to today
Began one afternoon with you, long ago and far away
And someone leads the beast in on its chain
But I know you're thinking of me 'cause it's just about to rain
So I won't be afraid of anything ever again

In the cell that holds my body back, the door swings wide
And I feel like someone's lost child as the guards lead me outside
And if the clouds are gathering, it's just to point the way
To an afternoon I spent with you when it rained all day
And someone leads the beast in on its chain
But I know you're thinking of me 'cause it's just about to rain
So I won't be afraid of anything ever again
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Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

I think this song revolves around a prisoner narrator that's being executed on death row, praying to God.

The song begins with his last meal in the cell which he has built for himself metaphorically, in the sense that he's conscious that the decisions he took in his life are what lead him here.

He's being lead to do his death by guards, he is the beast that's being lead on the chain and trying to stay brave in the face of death and believe in the God has for him even as a sinner.

It's a beautiful song.

believe in the love* God has for him even as a sinner.

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

This song is about 3 minutes long.

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

A couple of suggested edits, since the first half of the lyrics here has a number of discrepancies with the album version.

"In the holding tank I built for myself it's feeding time And I start to feel afraid 'cause I'm the last one left in line The endless string of summer storms that led me to today Began one afternoon with you long ago and far away"

And, later on:

"in the cell that holds my body back the door swings wide and i feel like someone's lost child as the guards lead me outside and if the clouds are gathering it's just to point the way to an afternoon I spent with you when it rained all day"

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

In Christian mythology, "The Beast" usually refers to Satan. Back to what lilotelasserie said, I think it's about Christian's struggle to follow God under all of Satan's pressures. Satan is usually depicted as being surrounded by fire. God is thinking about the Christian, so he's sending rain to douse the fire.

That's what I got from the song. Of course, that's the story. You also have the lesson that, no matter what horrible situation you find yourself in, there's someone who cares about you, so there's no reason to be afraid of living your life.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The song is about the belief in the love that God has for us, and with the belief you can withstand anything with love/god in yourself. No matter the incoming problems you are not going to be afraid.

It's about faith

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

I don't know if anyone has already written a comment saying so, but I think another interpretation could be that the narrator of the song is turning crazy, or out of control, so he has built himself a cage where he locks himself away so as not to harm the "you" he goes on about.

"And I feel like someone's lost child as the guards lead me outside" this is like the vulnerability he could be feeling as the demons sort of take over his body and his real state of mind is overshadowed by the crazy part.

And all he has is this one memory left and he's holding onto it so hard.

Well that's all I got!

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

WHAT IS THIS SONG ABOUT!!!?!>?

please? someone tell me.

This conjures up images of Christians being fed to the lions. I think it's a continuation of the Satanic Messiah idea, where it's the end of the world, the anti-christ has arrived, but all he can think of is that one girl and the times he wasted with her.

i dont know much about the song i personally havnt listened to it 1 John 4:16 is below

e> And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

many of the lines are about not having to worry again and this verse tells why even though John obviously dosnt believe it himself i still have no idea what the "beast on the chain" is sorry, im new at this

many of the lines are about not having to worry again and this verse tells why even though John obviously dosnt believe it himself i still have no idea what the "beast on the chain" is sorry, im new at this

I like the Christians being fed to the lions idea, but who said it was a girl? Could it not be God that he spent time with in the rain? This goes along with the "rely on the love God has for us" line in 1 John 4:16

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

The lines "...it's feeding time/And I start to feel afraid 'cause I'm the next one that's in line" and "someone leads the beast in on its chain" make me think this is, in part, about a gladiator, or similar situation. Christians were often part of the "entertainment" of the Coliseum, facing off against lions and other "beasts".

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

I'm going to have to agree with ianr07.

Cover art for 1 John 4:16 lyrics by Mountain Goats, The

hm. "In the holding tank I built for myself ..."

if the narrator is a prisoner, it's a self-imposed sentence.

like half his songs, i have to think this is about addiction. the narrator is in rehab, last in line for his pills. the "you" seems to be an actual person, not god/love.

 
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